This Could be the Last Stop for Stephon Marbury

Stephon Marbury has decided to have surgery for bone spurs in his left ankle, the Knicks said in a statement Thursday. The operation was expected to take place Tuesday, and Marbury will be out indefinitely, the team said.The news did not come as a surprise. Marbury had already had two X-rays when he said Wednesday that he believed he would need surgery. The initial diagnosis was confirmed Thursday after Marbury had a magnetic resonance imaging test and met with Dr. William Hamilton, who will perform the operation.

What remained unclear was whether Marbury has played his last game for the Knicks. Even though Marbury said Wednesday that he would try to return this season, his rehabilitation could prevent that, setting the stage for him and the team to part ways in the off-season, through a buyout or a trade. After this season, he will have one year and $21.9 million left on his contract. Click here for more from the New York Times.